Saturday, August 1, 2015

Ep 14 - Song 11: "We'll Be Okay" by Lipstick Homicide

"I first started hearing about Lipstick Homicide from friends of mine who keep a close eye on the punk rock scene. They often tell me about new bands I should see, but when it came to Lipstick Homicide, they couldn't shut up about them. Best new band in years, they said, great musicians, and with a level of energy that put most bands to shame. I heard some recordings of theirs, and couldn't help agreeing. When I was asked by Billie Joe Armstrong to put together a compilation of up-and-coming bands for Adeline Records, Lipstick Homicide seemed like a natural, and the song they submitted reminded me uncannily of late 80s/early 90s Green Day (their first album in particular) despite the obvious difference of having female rather than male vocals. I was traveling in the Midwest at the time and went to meet them at a show they were doing in a basement in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and since that time I've seen them a couple dozen times, on both the West Coast and East, and in the UK as well. They've never put on a disappointing show.

"When Green Day's manager called and asked if I knew any bands that might be a good opener for Green Day's show at New York City's Irving Plaza, the logical thing would have been to ask one of several local bands, but I couldn't help thinking of Lipstick Homicide, even though it would mean a two-thousand-mile round trip just to play one show. I asked them, saying, "I know this sounds like a crazy idea, and it's probably totally not possible, but would you maybe be interested..." Before I could say anything else, they said, "We're on our way!" The Green Day crowd loved them, as I knew they would, and it was a night I'll always remember. Though probably not quite as much as Lipstick Homicide do!"
- from Larry Livermore for this podcast and blog